2 Samuel 24.8 After
they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end
of nine months and twenty days.
The apostle James had a lot to say about what happened to
King David in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. James made a point by talking
about the conception and birth cycle of sin:
When tempted, no
one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor
does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by
their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James
1.13-15)
It’s interesting what James said: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” God is never
the Author of sin. James continued: For
God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is
tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
Now if we examine the narrative of 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles
it states first: Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David
against them… (2 Chronicles 24.1) We can blame God for this because we
might be led to believe it was God’s doing to incite David against Israel – but
the $64,000 is this: why? And 1 Chronicles 21.1 says: Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of
Israel. Now we’re getting somewhere.
It is said that the best commentary of Scripture is
Scripture. Many claim God’s word to be contradictory, but really, it isn’t. Why
would God cause David to sin? Impossible! But Satan on the other hand? James
said: Then, after desire has conceived,
it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
I thought it interesting that Joab took nine
months and twenty days to get the census back to David. And I thought of conception,
pregnancy, and birth. And then I thought of James. And us.
Reminds me of the old country western tune: Who’s Cheatin’ Who? Who
incited David to sin against his own people? Certainly, not God because, 1) God never incites anyone to sin and 2) …each person is tempted when they are dragged
away by their own evil desire and enticed. Or as old Flip Wilson: the Devil made me do it. We are
culpable. We are the ones who sin and whether it’s the Devil’s cause, or
completely our own, we’re culpable.
Might be a dozen reasons why David did what he did, but
the long and short of it is this: David
was tempted his own evil desire and enticed. And when his desire conceived,
it gave birth to sin and sin grew up into death: So, the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand [of
David’s precious] men of Israel fell dead.
(1 Chronicles 21.14) James gives us proper perspective on the conception, birth,
and death of sin. The consequences affect us, and also others… seventy thousand
in David’s case…
Father, O Father,
give me wisdom, courage and strength in the battle against enticement, sin and death.
Sin is not just what happens to me, but also what happens to others because of
what I do. May my love for You be expressed in my obedience to You, and then indirectly
in my love for others by fighting the good fight of faith. Help me God!
Amen
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